Auxiliary transmission



March 6, 1928;

1,661,469 F. P. FERRls Y AUXILIARY TRANSMISSION Filed July 23. 1925 2Sheets-Sheet l 5b FP FERR/s. INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY F. P.. FERRIS AUXILIARY TRANSMISS ION March 6, 1928. 1,661,469

Filed'July 25, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l l l Il Ulm n? Fenu INVENTOR,

3f BYMW 'h' 3/ ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 6,1928. i y i. i i i.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK r; miams, or LINCOLN,` NEBRASKA. y i i p xuxitixny'frnmsnrssioir.Application filed :uly 23, 1925. Serialrlo. V45,633. l

The invention set forth in this applicathe rear wall of the spring box17 and tion relates to a change speed gearing which against a washer 19which abuts against the is designed primarily for use as an attachheadof the bolt 18. It will thus be seen that v ment to the transmissiongear of automothecompression spring 16 urges the parts 60 l biles, itsobjects including the provision of 15n and 15b toward each other andnormallya device which is simple in construction and holds them injuxtaposition. n. whereby the number of gear speeds may be The gears 20and 2()b are rotatably sedoubled or otherwise multiplied, and wherecuredWithin the collar portions of the innerV l by the life of the motor andelectrical sysor planetary housing 15, being separated 65 tem may beconserved, therefrom by bushings 21. One of these Having in view theseobjects and others gears has `a larger ear diameter than the which willbe referred to in the following other, the gear20 eing the larger in thedescription, I will now refer to the drawpresent instance. The two gears20a and 2 0b ings, in which' are mounted for independent rotation but 70Figure 1 is an end elevation of the device they are held in coaxialalignment by a pilot with parts removed to disclose interior conplug 22,which is rotatably mountedV in a structions, other parts being brokenaway, kbushing 23 within the gear 20, Any deand still other parts beingshown in section. sired means may be einployedfor spacing Figure 2. is asectional view on line 2-2 the gears 20 and 20" to prevent interference75 of Figure l. v i between them. `By way. of illustration I Figure 3 isa Sectional View on line 3-3 show a thrust disc 24 anchored within theof Figurel. gear 20 and butting against the end of Figure 4 isasectional View showin the the pilot plug 22. Y use of clutch facingwhich may be emp oyed Meshing with the gears 20aL and 20? are the B0 25in my device by way of a slight modification. differential cluster gearshaving gear faces' i The housing is formed of two castings 25"L and 25bof unequal diameters. The dif- 1() and 11 which differ from each otheronly. ferentia'l cluster gears rotate on roller bearin their interittingmale and female connec' ings 26 or other frictionless bearings,fllDOUttions. Each casting is provided with a pe- Vthe counter shaft`27 whichis secured in the 85 30 ripheral fiange 12 with shoulders and walls ofthe inner orplanetary housing 15. grooves as shown in Figure 2 and withInv number I prefer to providejthree equiapertures for the reception ofbolts 13 for distantly spaced cluster gears asy shown in securing thecastings together. Both cast- Figure 1, these gears alternating with theings have shouldered interior' cylindrical springs 16. The spacesbetween the clu's- 9o u walls for seating the flanged bushings 14 in tergears and the inner walls ofthe inner which the sleeve portions 15a and15b of the or differential ,housing areoccupied by the inner orplanetary housing are slidably and friction. plates 28 which have. theOlInvv rotatably mounted, shown indotted outline in Figure 1. The

The inner or planetary housing is made plilpOSe and function of thesefriction platerSG 40 up of two parts 15 and 15b which are idenwill beset .forth in connection with the dei tical except for oneL slightdifference which Scriptum 0f the operation of the gear change. will benoted later in the description. Bothl At their outer peripheries theparts 15p, arts have a slight sliding relation in the and 15bareVbevelled on their inner edges so bushings 14, and they are rotatablewith rethat OgetllCI they OFIII iL 562112', Whih SfV- 100 spect to thebushings but may be held to pre- Shaped in Section, for the gearchanging vent rotation. The two parts are normally ring 29. AThisringwhenk loose is normal held together by compression springs 16. ly out offrictional contact with the inner The number of compression springs maybe or planetary housing 15. The springs 16V varied as desired, but it ispreferable to prof" urge the two parts of the planetary housing 105 videthree so as to equally distribute the aetoward each other and intofrictional` en` tion of the springs. Each clutch spring 16 is gagementwith the Vcluster gears `through v seated in a spring box 17 surroundinga bolt the friction plates 26. It will thus be eyi- 18. .The spring box17 has an annular flange dent that when the ring 29 is loose, theinwhich is seated in an annular groove in the ner or planetary housingwill rotate as a A11e outer surface of the part ,15a of the planetunitaboutits central axis and that it Vwill ary housing. The spring 16 bearsagainst carry with it the clusterV gears. Ifthe drive is applied througheitheil the gear 2O or the gear 20", then the other gear will be rotatedat the same speed. If, however, the ring 29 is tightened, the ring willfrictionally engage both parts of the inner or planetary housing andwill also cause them to Spread against the action of the springs 1G, atthe same time releasing the cluster gears 25 from frictional engagementwith the friction plates Q8. ln other words, the tightening of the ringtends to bind the two parts of the inner or planetary housing to preventtheir rotation and at the same time it releases the cluster gears sothat they are free to rotate about their axes. ln addition, the twoparts of the planetary housing l5 are forced into frictional engagementwith the annular disc portions ot' the bushings let.

The drive may be applied to either the gear 20 or to the gear 20", andwhen the parts of the inner or planetary housing are spread as abovedescribed the power will be delivered at a greater or less speed 0frotation according to which of the two gears is the drive gear. Forexample, if the drive is applied to the gear 20 and the planetaryhousing is held against rotation, the motion of the gear 20"* will becommunicated to the gear 25" and transmitted through the gear 25" to thegear 20'). then the drive is thus applied to the gear 20, the gear 20"will be caused to rotate at a speed higher than that of the gear 20ILikewise, if il is desired to step down the gearing, it is onlynecessary to apply the drive to the gear 20" so that the gear 20a willbe driven at a lower speed than that of the gear 20". It should be notedthat. the entire device is symmetrical and that it may be turned end toend Without disturbing the shafting.

In order to prevent any possible disturbance of the relative positionsof the two parts of the inner or planetary housing l5, dowel pins 30 areloosely set in aligning sockets in the parts l5 and l5" as shown inFigure 3, or they may be secured rigidly to one of the parts to slideloosely in sockets in the other part. The pilot plug 22 of courseprevents any bodily displacement of the two parts of the planetaryhousing relative to each other but it does not prevent unequal rotationof the two parts about their axis. The dowel pins preif'ent such unequalrotation without aty the same time interfering with the operation of thegearing or the change speed mechanism. The dowel pins act in the sainecapacity for the planetary housing as the pilot plug' acts for the gearassenibly.

In Figure 4 is shown ay slight modification for increasing the frictionfor the gear change. In some cases the friction of the ring combinedwith that of the bushings 14 may not be sullicient to hold the planetaryhousing agauist rotation, but the construction is such that additionalfriction for this purpose may readily be provided. Simply by way ot'illustration and as showing one type of structure which may be cnnployed for this` purpose, there is shown in Figure l the application oi'`friction clutch facing 3l to the inner walls of the outer housing 10.The clutch facing may simply rest against the inner walls or it may besecured to the walls by means of rivets $32 or by any other suitableit'astening devia-s. When thel parts l5 and 15b are then spread, theirouter walls will come into contact with the clutch facing to stillfurther hold thc two parts against rotation.

'lhe device for tightening the gear change ring 2!) is Ishown in Figurel. As shown, the ring 2S) terminales in a pair of spaced ears 25) whichare .substantially parallel lo each other, the ears having slottedapertures as shown in Figure 2 for receiving the sha fl'- portion ot thegear change lever ll. 'lhc elongated cap El when in use held secured tothe, outer housing parts lll aud ll by any Isuitable meansl such asbolts or scrcw's. At one end it is provided with a screw threadedaperture for receiving thc plug 35. The plug 35 has a bolt head on itsouter end and a .socket member il? on its inner cud, the socket member:limiting against one of the ears 29. The plug 35 may be adjusted b vapplying a wrench lo the bolt head 3b', and itis held in adjustedposition by means of the lock nut 3H. The opposite end portion of thecap lil also has a screw threaded aperture for receiving the .screwthreaded cud of the shaftsupport 3i) iu fixed relation to the cap. Fixedto the shaft ol the gear change lever 33, as with a pin Ail), is themember -ll which bears against the other ol the ears 2f. The shaftsupport 235i and the member li are each notched ou their sides facingeach other, butl the .shalt .support .'39 is held in fixed positionagainst rotation while the member Ll1 is secured to the shaft portion ofthe gear change lever 33 lo rotate therewith. The movement ol' the gearchange lever $33 in one direction thus causesy the parts $35) and il tospread apart and consequently to cause the ears 25) lo approaeh eachother. The tightening of the ring-29 in this manner results in a wedgingaction between the parts l5 and 15 ol thc inner or planetary housing andcauses them to spread. The notches of the parts 3S) and il have llatfaces so that they will not be disengaged when in either position exceptby the actuation of the lever 33.

The special design of transmission herein described is designed andadapted parlicularly for use on any Model T Ford automobile or on anyFord truck. but the same step-up or step-down principle may be appliedto any gear shift Aar. Since thc planet ary principle is involved in thedesign,

loo

y fot the motor.

there is no neutral. The gears are always in mesh and the speed changesdo not require that the gears be thrown into or out ot' mesh. Vlien thetransmission is not changing the speed ratio, the three cluster gearsareheld in stationary position by the tension obtained nfrom the threesprings which hold the tivo parts oi the inner or planetary housingtogether', and since the cluster gears are held in a stationary positionby the clutch action engagement, the tWo main gears inner o' rotation otthe entire mechanism coin cides and varies with the speed oi the motor.

It might be thought that the` friction caused by the tension of thethree springs would be inadequate to transmit the power It will be notedhowever, that each of the three cluster gears must ro-` tate twiceduring one revolution of thc drive gear. In other Words, it is onlynecessary to overcome the differential in ordeito render the clutchengagement positive.

When the power is being transmitted through the counter shaits, theengagement is also due directly to the clutch principle. The gearchanging band is contracted by the operation olf the lever control andthis in turn releases the differential cluster gears to permit them torotate and simultaneously subjects the inner or planetary housing tosuilicient friction to hold it against rotation. Ii", however, underextreme conditions, this friction is insufficient to prevent therotation of the inner or planetary housing, the band may be tightened byadjustinent so as to spread the tivo parts of the inner or planetaryhousing sufficiently to cause them to lrictionally engagethe flanges ettheir supporting bushings.

in applying the gear change device to a Ford automobile or truck, it maybe in stalled in either a iront or a rear position on the drive shaft,and witheither end toward the motor. `Regardless of the position ordirection of its application, it gives the Ford four speeds 'forward andtwo speeds reverse. The installation does not in any Way change theoperation ot the Ford as the usual Ford speeds are controlled exactly asbefore, regardless of the position et the auxiliary tion of thetransmission in a step-up position, it is possible to drive the Ford atmuch `greater speed without abusing the motor at greatly reduced Wearand tear on the motor, at the same time eiiecting a ma'n terial economyin gasoline and oil consunip tion. When using this overpower, the driveris not. compelled to travel at an exturn at the same speed as does thevhousing, or in other words, the speedl `gears transmission. By theapplical cessive rate of speed but he isenabled to drive the careconomically Whenever driving conditions are such that he can use theover-gear, which under average driving` conditions is `Vfully 75% ot thetime.

It the transmission is installed in the step-down position it enablesthe driver ot the Ford to travel over unusually hilly country, or 'it ispossible to use the higher rear end ratio vwith'this installation andstill have plenty ot' power when it is needed.

Having thus described my invention in such clear and exact terms as willenable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and usethe saine,WhatI claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent oi'the United States is i l. In combination, a pair oigears having theiraries in alignment, a housing, planctary gears meshing with said` firstnamed and journalled in said housing, a spring for normallyA urgingsaidV housing toward and into t'rictional Contact With the sides oi saidplanetary gears 1for preventing the rotation ot' said planetary gearsabout their axes, and manually operable means i'or moving said housingout ot trictional contact with the sides of said planetary i gears.

2. In combination, a housing comprising two parts, a pair of gearscentrally posin tioned in said housing and having their axes inalignment, planetary gears eccen-y tric-ally positioned in said housingand meshing with said 'first named gears, ine-ans for drawing the tivoparts'oi the housing together and into rictional engagement with saidplanetary gears to prevent the rotation oitA said planetary gears abouttheir anis, and manually operable means for spreading the tivo parts oi2said housing, said manually operable means preventing the rotation'o't'said housing but permitting the rotation of said planetary gears.

y3. In combination, a pair ot gears and a housii'ig, said gears havingtheir axes in alignn'ient and being journalled in said housing, saidhousing consisting oi tivo complementa-ry parts which are normally urgedtoward each other, means for preventing the rotation ot' said tivo partsrelative to each other, alanetary gears meshing withv said tii'st named.gears and journalled in said housing,the two parts of said housing beingnormally in rictionalv contact with said planetary gears, and manuallyoperable means for releasing the two parts oit said housing :tromfrictional contact with said planetary gears. y

ln Witness Vwhereof l aiiiX kmy signature.

FRANK l?. FERR-1S.

